Facial Scanning...HOW TO Analyze A Face Shape For a Perfect Cut

KMS Artistic Director Sonna Brado (of Jaazz Salon, Spokane, WA), analyzes each face of each client before cutting to determine with features should be highlighted. According to Brado, the goal is find the "sweet spot", the feature the stands out and deserves the most attention. Using the client pictured here, Brado breaks it down into a few steps and then offers the HOW TO get the best cut and color for HER based on her face shape.

FACIAL SCAN:

1. Pull the hair back and off the face.

2. Stand in front of the client and hold up a piece of paper, or your hand, to block the face from view...close one eye

3. Beginning at the bottom of the face, slowly raise your hand to expose the chin, cheekbones, and lips. Continue slowly raising your hand to expose more features. Try tipping your hand from left to right to see what shape fringe/ bangs could work on them and which side of the face is more open and expressive.

Says Brado: “This model has a diamond shape face with killer lips and eyes! With all of that long hair she just disappeared. I placed her fullness both above and below the cheekbone area by creating a soft rounded shape, focusing on her eyes with the disconnected pieces on top."

THE CUT:

1. Take a halo section around the crown, separating the top from the bottom.

2. Use diagonal forward partings, following the halo section out to the perimeter of the hairline and razor cut the shape round following the shape of the head. ("Fullness was maintained around the perimeter by not cutting hair too short.")

3. Drop the top section and use pivoting partings around the crown, elevate to 90 degrees and work from short to long so that it extends over the rounded shape underneath.

("When working with facial structure, leave the details in the perimeter for when the hair is dry to see how it falls.")

4. The perimeter shaping is key to this cut. Using her bone structure and eyebrow arch as guide, create the shape of her fringe to expose her cheekbones on the sides. ("This rounded cut works well for her diamond shape face because it fills in the narrow areas above and below the cheekbone, while reducing width.")

Color:

•Apply Goldwell® New Blonde at the shampoo bowl and rinsed after five minutes.

•Apply Goldwell® SilkLift® Gentle Lightener and 20 volume to tip the ends of the hair on top.

Style:

•Dry the hair using KMS® California TAMEFRIZZ® smoothing lotion for light hold and smoothness.

•Finish with KMS® California HAIRPLAY® messing creme to piece out for second day texture.